[Nell]: 226.Stories.Shorts.Who Could

"Portents, omens, signs in the sky, who could keep them all straight anyway?" Kaily glared at the half-empty glass in front of her. She let the port swirl around in lazy waves. Her red-brown hair fell across the counter she was hanging over.

A hand reached out and took the glass from her.

"Hey! Give that back—oh, it's you," she turned her head to face the tall man with short blond hair. He was wearing his usual; some light blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a brown suede jacket. "Bloody hell, why can't ye just bugger off?"

"Sorry? Couldn't make that out through that heavy Irish accent of yours," he replied. "Or was that just the alcohol?"

"Shut up and gimme back me port!"

"You know I can't do that. So, why'd you run off back there?" he leaned back against the counter, playing with the glass in his fingers, temptingly out of reach.

"It's none of yer business. Stop trying to get in me head."

"You abandoned your friends—"

"I said shut up!" she yelled at him. People were beginning to stare at her. It was time to leave, to find a new bar.

Kaily pushed herself off the stool and stumbled towards the door. The man tried to help her. She shoved him away. "I don't need yer help!"

The girl left the building and started making her shaky way down the street. The man followed along beside her.

"You know that you can't run away from your problems," he commented.

"Yeah, but I can damned as well try."

"Kaily," he took her shoulder and turned around to face him. "Kaily, I can't help you when you're like this. You left your friends back there when they needed you."

"They abandoned me, not the other way 'round! And I told ye, I don't want yer help!"

"Ok then, I'm leaving. I won't stay if you don't want me around," he pulled her close and kissed her forehead in that simple way that always made her knees shake. "I'm just trying to show you that you can be better than this."

"I don't care…" she replied sulkily.

"I know you don't," he turned away and began walking. He called over his shoulder. "Remember! The world in your hands!"

"The world can go to hell!" she screamed after him. "And so can you!"

He just laughed.

"Bloody angel," she muttered, pressing the palms of her hands into her eyes. "I'm not going back, I'm not!" She spun around sharply and continued on her way, unbidden tears pouring down her face.